Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
Yes.
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I know his parents well, great people.
I voted "Yes" in the poll because of people like them. I am rarely a proponent of military action, but the guilt that I do feel is because 0.1% of the population is paying a huge burden, another 0.2% or so is paying a smaller burden, and the remaining 99.7% of us have essentially no shared sacrifice.
Aside from the Jacobsens, I have another friend who is in his mid 40s with 7 kids. He joined the reserves many years ago. He has currently been overseas for about a year, and had an earlier 2 year tour, so he has been away from his family 36 out of the last 44 months. He's missed his oldest two son's weddings, his first two grandkids being born, two sons going on missions, and a whole lot more. Even when he comes back safely, he will have given up 20% of the time that his kids will live at home with him, trading it for living in a tent and working 80-90 hour weeks.
My guilt doesn't keep me up at night, but I don't know how anyone could not feel at least a little guilty in my situation.